Pidesco Posted June 20, 2009 Posted June 20, 2009 Good Omens American Gods "My hovercraft is full of eels!" - Hungarian touristI am Dan Quayle of the Romans.I want to tattoo a map of the Netherlands on my nether lands.Heja Sverige!!Everyone should cuffawkle more.The wrench is your friend.
Calax Posted June 20, 2009 Posted June 20, 2009 Black Company Dread Empire Insturmentalities of the Night third is arguably the best series by the author (Glenn Cook) Victor of the 5 year fan fic competition! Kevin Butler will awesome your face off.
Gorgon Posted June 20, 2009 Posted June 20, 2009 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_F._Hamilton I read The neutron alchemist and one other I can't remember the name of right now. Check your library, although with 1000+ page books you might want to get the paperback anyway if you like his style. Na na na na na na ... greg358 from Darksouls 3 PVP is a CHEATER. That is all.
Slowtrain Posted June 20, 2009 Posted June 20, 2009 Black CompanyDread Empire Insturmentalities of the Night third is arguably the best series by the author (Glenn Cook) I've read books from all 3 series. Last one is head and shoulders above everything else Cook has done. It is currently the only multi-volume fantasy work that I find readable. And its more than readable. It's really good. Notice how I can belittle your beliefs without calling you names. It's a useful skill to have particularly where you aren't allowed to call people names. It's a mistake to get too drawn in/worked up. I mean it's not life or death, it's just two guys posting their thoughts on a message board. If it were personal or face to face all the usual restraints would be in place, and we would never have reached this place in the first place. Try to remember that.
Llyranor Posted June 20, 2009 Posted June 20, 2009 I'd say A Song of Ice and Fire is my favorite fantasy series. If you really want to kill yourself, though, I've heard the Mass Effect and Dragon Age novels are a real blast. (Approved by Fio, so feel free to use it)
Maria Caliban Posted June 20, 2009 Posted June 20, 2009 (edited) It would be much more helpful if you told us what kind of sf you enjoyed reading. The Orphan's Tales duology - In the Night Garden and Cities of Coin and Spice - is based on a 1,001 nights type frame. Valenta interweaves mythology and fairytales from different cultures in her own poetic style. The Mistborn trilogy - Final Empire, The Well of Ascension, and Hero of Ages - is a well-crafted story in an imaginative setting and with a unique, logical magic system. The Cassandra Kresnov novels - Crossover, Breakaway, and Killswitch - are science fiction stories about a synthetic human soldier who Edited June 20, 2009 by Maria Caliban "When is this out. I can't wait to play it so I can talk at length about how bad it is." - Gorgon.
HoonDing Posted June 20, 2009 Posted June 20, 2009 I'd recommend Guy Gavriel Kay's Fionavar Tapestry (dark heroic fantasy done right) & Tigana standalone book to everyone. Best fantasy ever. Of more recent authors, I particularly enjoy: Elizabeth Haydon - Rhapsody Trilogy (scifi - fantasy) Naomi Novik - Temeraire series (Horatio Hornblower meets Dragonriders of Pern) The ending of the words is ALMSIVI.
Syraxis Posted June 20, 2009 Posted June 20, 2009 (edited) The Road - Cormac McCarthy I went in not expecting much, was surprised how good it really was. Edited June 20, 2009 by Syraxis
Humodour Posted June 20, 2009 Author Posted June 20, 2009 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_F._Hamilton I read The neutron alchemist and one other I can't remember the name of right now. Check your library, although with 1000+ page books you might want to get the paperback anyway if you like his style. I've already read all his books. One of my favourite authors. I'ma ctually after stuff similar to his works (space opera, strong/unique/compelling characters and storylines)...
213374U Posted June 20, 2009 Posted June 20, 2009 The Gods Themselves? Starship Troopers? Ender's? Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? We can't very well give you "new" reads if we don't know what the "old" ones are. - When he is best, he is a little worse than a man, and when he is worst, he is little better than a beast.
Slowtrain Posted June 20, 2009 Posted June 20, 2009 If you are looking for space opera type stuff then you can try Iain M Banks He's a pretty good writer both as a mainstream novelist and as an SF novelist. Don't go in expecting Star Wars type Space Opera though. Its a lot more dense then that. For more general fantasy there is Lucius Shepard. He does some SF as well, though not so much space opera. Again, like Banks he's a fairly complex writer and I wouldn't consdeir hsi stuff light escapist fair. My fave thing by him is his novel Life During Wartime Notice how I can belittle your beliefs without calling you names. It's a useful skill to have particularly where you aren't allowed to call people names. It's a mistake to get too drawn in/worked up. I mean it's not life or death, it's just two guys posting their thoughts on a message board. If it were personal or face to face all the usual restraints would be in place, and we would never have reached this place in the first place. Try to remember that.
Calax Posted June 20, 2009 Posted June 20, 2009 Good Omens American Gods Anansi Boys Victor of the 5 year fan fic competition! Kevin Butler will awesome your face off.
Pidesco Posted June 20, 2009 Posted June 20, 2009 Good Omens American Gods Anansi Boys I was disappointed by Anansi Boys, actually. "My hovercraft is full of eels!" - Hungarian touristI am Dan Quayle of the Romans.I want to tattoo a map of the Netherlands on my nether lands.Heja Sverige!!Everyone should cuffawkle more.The wrench is your friend.
mr insomniac Posted June 20, 2009 Posted June 20, 2009 (edited) I'd recommend Guy Gavriel Kay's Fionavar Tapestry (dark heroic fantasy done right) & Tigana standalone book to everyone. Best fantasy ever. This. Also by Kay: A Song for Arbonne, Lions of Al-Rassan, The Sarantine Mosaic (two books), Last Light of the Sun, and Ysabel. All great stories. Kay's Website if you want more details. EDIT: Added a link. Edited June 20, 2009 by mr insomniac I took this job because I thought you were just a legend. Just a story. A story to scare little kids. But you're the real deal. The demon who dares to challenge God. So what the hell do you want? Don't seem to me like you're out to make this stinkin' world a better place. Why you gotta kill all my men? Why you gotta kill me? Nothing personal. It's just revenge.
Oner Posted June 20, 2009 Posted June 20, 2009 For fantasy, I liked the Dark Ages Vampire Clan Novels. The first few books aren't that great, but after the politics start rollling, the quality skyrockets. But it all comes crashing down with the Tzimisce book. Thank you author lady for ruining a good series (and antagonist) with your homo love novel. Giveaway list: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1DgyQFpOJvyNASt8A12ipyV_iwpLXg_yltGG5mffvSwo/edit?usp=sharing What is glass but tortured sand?Never forget! '12.01.13.
HoonDing Posted June 20, 2009 Posted June 20, 2009 Thank you author lady for ruining a good series (and antagonist) with your homo love novel. *rushes to library* The ending of the words is ALMSIVI.
Oner Posted June 20, 2009 Posted June 20, 2009 *rushes to library* Call me jaded, but I expected something like that. Giveaway list: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1DgyQFpOJvyNASt8A12ipyV_iwpLXg_yltGG5mffvSwo/edit?usp=sharing What is glass but tortured sand?Never forget! '12.01.13.
Shryke Posted June 20, 2009 Posted June 20, 2009 I'd say A Song of Ice and Fire is my favorite fantasy series. this when your mind works against you - fight back with substance abuse!
Oerwinde Posted June 21, 2009 Posted June 21, 2009 Another vote for A Song of Ice and Fire. Sword of Truth is also excellent. Currently enjoying L.E.Modesitt Jr's Recluce series. Word of warning about them: not a lot happens, but for some reason the way he writes makes it interesting. A 700 page book about a guy learning about balancing order and chaos within machines while he makes ends meet as a blacksmith and toymaker... somehow extremely compelling. The area between the balls and the butt is a hotbed of terrorist activity.
Maria Caliban Posted June 21, 2009 Posted June 21, 2009 I can't believe people still recommend A Song of Ice and Fire; it's unnecessarily cruel. Not only was the latest book the worst in one yet (if it were a stand alone, no one would recommend it) but it looks like GRRM will take another 20 years to finish the damned series. "When is this out. I can't wait to play it so I can talk at length about how bad it is." - Gorgon.
Slowtrain Posted June 21, 2009 Posted June 21, 2009 I've tried about 5 times to read the first book in the series. Never made it past the first 200 pages or so. I know a lot of people like it and think is the top of the line fantasy epic of the day (which is why I've tried 5 times to read it), but it just doesn't do anything for me. Notice how I can belittle your beliefs without calling you names. It's a useful skill to have particularly where you aren't allowed to call people names. It's a mistake to get too drawn in/worked up. I mean it's not life or death, it's just two guys posting their thoughts on a message board. If it were personal or face to face all the usual restraints would be in place, and we would never have reached this place in the first place. Try to remember that.
Maria Caliban Posted June 21, 2009 Posted June 21, 2009 I'm not sure why it's as popular as it is. It's a good series, and once it's finished, I suspect I'll begin recommending it to others, but there's nothing about it that makes me consider it the 'best' epic fantasy available today. "When is this out. I can't wait to play it so I can talk at length about how bad it is." - Gorgon.
Humodour Posted June 21, 2009 Author Posted June 21, 2009 (edited) Thanks for the ideas so far guys. I'll read this thread more fully after my last exam, but I welcome more suggestions! The Gods Themselves? Starship Troopers? Ender's? Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? We can't very well give you "new" reads if we don't know what the "old" ones are. Yes you can. I just get everyone to tell me their favourite new and old sci-fi/fantasy books and obviously I will ignore the ones I've already read. After that I should have a good picture of what some decent news reads are. For example, I haven't read any of those, so I'll now read some reviews about them to see if I want to read them. Fine, some details. My favourite books have been (some I haven't read in years): Animorphs (lololol) Harry Potter The Red Dwarf Novels Colony (by one of the Red Dwarf guys - Rob Grant) The Truth (Pratchet) Thief of Time (Pratchet) The Tripods Series 1984 Fahrenheit 451 The Night's Dawn trilogy - Peter F. Hamilton The Commonwealth Saga - Peter F. Hamilton The Void Trilogy - Peter F. Hamilton The Hobbit (I read LotR two or three times but I'm not sure I'd call it a favourite) I tried some Aasimov (Caves of Steel) but it was amazingly boring. I could appreciate it for the elements that later sci-fi built upon, but the 1930's culture (sexism, small-mindedness, disrepect for freedom, etc) and lack of futuristic insight (1000 years later and they hadn't even invented proper computers) essentially killed it for me. Or maybe it was his style of writing - that was quite boring as well. Edit: It's probably not entirely inconsequential that over 50% of that list is dystopian/post-apocalyptic. I do very much like my novels to end on a happy ending, though (1984 being an outlier, but I enjoyed it more for the literary/philosophic appeal than because it was entertaining). Edited June 21, 2009 by Krezack
Calax Posted June 21, 2009 Posted June 21, 2009 I'm not sure why it's as popular as it is. It's a good series, and once it's finished, I suspect I'll begin recommending it to others, but there's nothing about it that makes me consider it the 'best' epic fantasy available today. I think the reason people like it so much is that it's so political and complicated that they can't wrap their minds around it. Also it's more like real life than anything (where things never go how they're supposed to) else in the genre. but it does take FOREVER to get started and doesn't really kick off until the wars of succession begin amongst the various noble houses. Which (I think) really starts in the second freaking book (and these are 7-800 page books!) Is it good? If you can stand the slow pace then yes, but if you're looking for something that you don't have to slog through (for the first bit) then pick up something else... Like Insturmentalities of the Night :D Victor of the 5 year fan fic competition! Kevin Butler will awesome your face off.
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